1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a bacon slicer system and more particularly to a system which includes a method and apparatus for transferring bacon through a change in direction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, bacon has normally been packaged in packages which include a plurality of individual bacon slices. These bacon slices are stacked together and form somewhat of a single unit for handling. The stacks, which may be one or two pounds of sliced bacon, have more structural integrity than the individually sliced bacon strips. Therefore, the bacon slices that are stacked together in quantities are more easily transferred as the bacon is being packaged.
Over the past several years, the consumers have desired more convenient packaging. Preparing bacon has always been a relatively messy task and microvable bacon packages have been developed to make cooking bacon less messy. The microwave packages include a plurality of bacon strips that are laterally spaced from each other. The material handling of these bacon strips after they have been sliced has presented difficulties. These difficulties were due in large part to the lack of structural integrity of the individual slices of bacon. It became very difficult to transfer bacon through a 90 degree turn during the manufacturing process. That is, the bacon would come from the bacon slicer in a first direction. It would then be necessary to turn the bacon approximately 90 degrees to go in another direction to be packaged by suitable packaging machines.
Further, the prior art bacon transfer conveyors typically were conveyors made of a plurality of O-rings. This was acceptable when a plurality of bacon slices were being transported together. However, when similar conveyors were used for individual strips of bacon there were often problems, such as bacon slices falling through the conveyor and getting wrapped around the rollers, thereby creating a more difficult clean-up.
When the individual slices of bacon were being transferred through a 90-degree turn, there was often problems in maintaining the sliced bacon spacing and orientation. The slices became disheveled. The spacing of the bacon is important in that two pieces of bacon were normally side by side with a spacing and then two other pieces of bacon side by side. This allowed for four strips of bacon to be packaged flat in a single package. The package is folded over on itself, thereby necessitating the spacing between the two sets of two slices of bacon.
The present invention addresses the problems associated with the prior art bacon slicing systems and provides for a method and apparatus of more effectively transferring bacon slices during a change of direction while still maintaining slice spacing and orientation.